IAEA mission rotation at Zaporizhzhia NPP, Ukrainian activist in Time's Women of the Year list: today's highlights

IAEA manages to rotate its experts at Zaporizhzhia NPP

The International Atomic Energy Agency has managed to rotate its team of experts who are currently on the site of the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The rotation was delayed for more than three weeks. This was announced by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.

“Pleased to announce the successful completion of the long-delayed rotation of the Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia NPP, now our 6th team of experts in Ukraine. I thank our staff for their professionalism, courage, and commitment, as well as for the efforts of all involved,” he wrote.

Grossi emphasized that the IAEA mission at Zaporizhzhia NPP is “indispensable” for reducing the risk of a nuclear accident.

Consequences of the strike on a high-rise building in Zaporizhzhia

Two people have been confirmed dead as a result of a Russian strike on a high-rise building in Zaporizhzhia. This was reported to us by the press service of the Zaporizhzhia regional police.

Earlier, the Prosecutor General's Office reported four dead and 8 wounded. As explained by the police, the body of the deceased woman was found, as well as a fragment of the body of another person, whose gender is being established.

There are also 8 known injuries. According to police, 10 people are currently missing. Rescuers rescued 11 people, including a pregnant woman, and unblocked the bodies of two of the victims from the rubble.

Russian troops attack humanitarian aid distribution point in Kherson Oblast

Russian occupation forces opened fire on a humanitarian aid distribution point in the village of Kozatske, Beryslav Raion, Kherson Oblast. This was reported by the Kherson Regional Military Administration.

Volunteers of an international organization came to Kozatske to distribute vegetable sets to local residents. During the unloading of the humanitarian aid, the Russian occupiers launched a drone and dropped explosives on people.

According to the prosecutor's office, people were standing in line for humanitarian aid near a local school. The attack injured 9 civilians, including a 10th-grade student. The 16-year-old teenager received gunshot wounds to the right thigh.

Ukrainian activist Olena Shevchenko is included in Time's Women of the Year list

Time magazine has named Ukrainian LGBT activist and women's rights advocate Olena Shevchenko to its Women of the Year list. This was reported in the publication.

The publication noted that since Olena Shevchenko co-founded Insight, a Kyiv-based organization to support women and LGBTQI communities, in 2017, she has become one of the most famous activists in Ukraine. Over the past five years, she has been attacked 7 times.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Olena Shevchenko and her colleagues have focused their efforts on humanitarian aid to the LGBT+ community and women. In particular, Insight helped with relocation in Ukraine and abroad, shelters, targeted parcels with humanitarian aid, etc.

Putin calls the events in the Bryansk region of Russia a “terrorist attack

”Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused “neo-Nazis and terrorists” of attacking the Bryansk region of Russia and said that they allegedly opened fire on civilians and children. This was reported by the Kremlin's RIA Novosti news agency.

According to Russian media, on March 2, Putin was supposed to go to the Stavropol Territory, but the trip was canceled due to the situation in the Bryansk region.

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, also announced a “terrorist attack” in the Bryansk region of Russia, blaming “Ukrainian militants”. At the same time, he could not answer whether the situation in the region would affect the change in the status of the “special military operation”.

Russian emergency services confirmed that one person was killed in the “incident”.

An airplane explodes during tests at an aircraft factory in Russia

An airplane exploded during a test at the Aviastar aircraft factory in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk. One employee of the company was killed and five people were injured. This was reported by the Kremlin's RIA Novosti.

The Russian emergency services confirmed that one person died as a result of the “incident”. The United Aircraft Corporation of Russia reported that the plant was testing the fuselage compartment of the Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft.

At one stage of assembly, the fuselage is tested for leaks by pumping pressurized air into the compartments. According to the Baza Telegram channel, during the tests, depressurization occurred and the aircraft body collapsed.